Cinematograph spoolcase



Nov. 13, 1928.

J. E. THORNTON 5 Shqets-Sheet 1 d Jan. 26, 1927 Nov. 13', 1928. 1,691,414

J. E. THORNTON CINEMATOGRAPH SPOOL c'AsE Filed Jan. 26, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Q11 665m .5)

A770 R NE) Nov. 13, 1928.

J. E. THORNTO N CIN EMATOGRAPH SPOOL CASE Filed Jan. 26, 1927 5 sheets-sheet odmm ATTORNEY 4 1 A 1 9 1 N O T N R O H T. E Im Nov. 13, 1928.

CINEMATOGRAPH SPOOL CASE Filed Jan. 26, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 13,1928.

- UNITED STATES PIFIATENT OFFICE.

[Jenn EDWARD rnonnron, or wnsr nAiursrnAD, LONDON, ENGLAND.

CINEM A IOGRAPH SPOOLCASE.

Application filed January 26, 1927, Serial No. 168 804, and in Great Britain February 11, 1926.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved design of spoolcase to contain cinematograph film for use in combination with any suitable design of projector. or

5 camera, the spoolcase and its iilni and the operative parts being so constructed that the case encloses a supply-spool having an unbreakable leader strip permanently secured thereto with its other end secured to one end,

of the film, and a receiving reel-having an unbreakable leader strip permanently secured thereto with its other end secured to the other end of the film, so that the film may be drawn off the spool by turnin the reel, or

1 given a reverse motion ,to draw ii off the reel and rewind it upon its. original spool, thefilm passing out from and back into the spoolcase by means of suitable slots at its forward end during its assage from spool to reel upon its travel t rough projector or camera.

- The effect of this construction is to produce a spoolcase carrying a spool, reel and entire film contents which are capable of reversible motion and this spoolcase serves thepurpose of a parmanent storage case for the film before, during, and after use ,in the projector or camera, and in which the film cannot become detached from spool or reel during use; s

The invention canbe applied to the use "of double-width film having two rows of pictures, one of which is inverted; or to two single-width films used side by side (one being inverted) with double-Width spools.

' and reels (or pairs); or to single-width film having two groups of pictures in a single row which are alternately interspersed; all these several arrangements of filmbclng designed to operate with reversible motion mechanism original spool during use, instead of by the usual separate troublesome rewinding operation after use.

Thereversible-motion cinematograph spool in order that the film may be returned to its 'A. An enclosing case havingone or two slots in one Wall thereof through which the film andits leader-strip can pass out of the case and again into the case, forming a loop outside of the case,'between the points of egress andingress;

B. Two spools mounted inside the case, 5 forming 'a supply spool and receiving-reel respectively, each capable of being driven in either direction; i

C. A film having at each end a leader-strip, the two ends of which aresecured respectively to the two spools, the film being provided with suit-able feed perforations and control or stopping devices; the spoolcase being adapted to engage with a-projector or camera mechanism, and the film being adapted to engage with a film feeding device outside the spoolcase and forming part of the projector or camera mechanism.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which Fi 1 shows a vertical section through a simp e form of the invention, the case having two slotsthrough which the leader-strip and film pass.

Fig. 2. is an end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an horizontal section through Fig. 1. p 1 I Fig. 4. is a vertical section through another form of spoolcase similar-to Fig. 1, but having a. driven feed-sprocket which positively governs the length of loop; such feed-sprocket being additional to the feed device on the projector or camera. I Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a spoolcase provided with a spring held friction driving roller which can be moved into contact with either spool leaving the other free.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal. section through Fig. 5. v

Fig. 7 is a vertical section throu h a spoolcase provided with a continuously rivencentral friction driving roll against which the spools of varying diameter are drawn and held by 5' rings.

' Fig. 8 1s a vertical section througha s 001- case for use in a camera provided with ght of the projector or camera apparatus forcontrolling the film locking device as shown in Fig. 8.

' spoolcase.

The spoolcase A may be constructed in various ways, a preferred form as shown in Figs. 2 and 6 comprising two shallow trays A A which fit one over the other like a box and lid, such case preferably being stamped or drawn from thin sheet aluminum and suitably ribbed to stiffen it. The case when closed may be secured by a suitable locking device which may be of a secret character, only opcnable by the manufacturer or other controller of the film-contents.

Slots a a for the egress and ingress of the film are formed at one end of the case A, and to prevent the film from being damaged by coming into contact with a shar edge rollers or curved portions a are pre erably provided inside the case above and below each slot. These rollers or curved portions may be formed by bending over the material from which the case is made or separate roll-- ers mounted on pins may be employed.

Although the tandem horizontal type of spoolcase as drawn is preferred, the invention can be used with vertical type spoolcase in which one spool is above the other and film loop comes out on the long side wall.

Spool and 'reel.

The spool B and reel 0 are mounted to rotate freely upon tubular pillars or posts I), c which form integral parts with one or both side walls A A of the spoolcase. Any other suitable method of mounting maybe substi- If preferred the flanges may be omitted entirely, in which case the film simply winds upon plain cores and is guided or positioned thereon by the side walls of the case. p

The receiving reelC is placed in the case at its forword end and the supply-spool B at the rear end in tandem fashion one behind the other, though their respective positions may be reversed if desired.

Leaders strips.

The term unbreakable leader strip is intended to differentiate the leader used in this invention from the ordinary leader strip which in some small apparatus for amateur use consist of paper which can easily be torn and severed by a hard pull or jerk of the film strip.

The present leader-strip is made of very strong construction, for example a double thickness of linen tape, or a double-thickness of paper with a linen tape insertion, the three layers being cemented together, or a double thickness of strong parchmentized papercemented together.

The leader-strip D is permanently attached to the spool B by one end and to the .film E. by its other end, and is of suflicient len th to make several turns round the spool,

an also of sufficient length that when with- The effect of this arrangement is to permanently connect spool B and reel C so that either one or the'other can be used to give motion to the film-strip E. And the effect of the two leader-strips is to form two extension pieces of such strength that they can be manipulated by the operator without damage, to a degree that would not be equally possible with an extension of film-material itself or of a thin paper leader attached thereto.

Down the centre of the leader-strip D is cut a very long slot, through which passes a pin f see Fig. 8, the object of which is tocon trol the films movement. This pin 7 is in engagement with the leader whilst the spoolcase is not in operative engagement with the projector or camera mechanism, and whilst the whole of the film and the major portion of the forward leader is drawn into the case and coiled upon the supply-spool prior to use. Therefore only a small portion of the forward leader-strip D alone remains outside the case lying flatly outside upon the for- 'ward end wall of the case A as shown in he pin f is carried at the end of two spring controlled arms F which are moved when the spoolcase A is placed in the camera or projector as described in specification of application No. 25,158 of 1926 to cause the 'ng pin f to be withdrawn from the slot in leader-strip D Perforations.

The film-strip E is provided with suitable perforations for traction purposes, which en-- gage with feed sprockets, feed-claws, or

. other suitable mechanisms for operating the gins of the film, or they may be placed on'its centre line between each picture; on a double-width film they may be placed in the two outer blank margins; or they maybe placed on two lines central with each row *1 of pictures and between each picture of each and left protruding at the forwar end of the row; but I prefer to place them as a single central line in-the blank margin between the two rows of pictures, an arrangement which ensures the shortest film-length and the greatest protection against damage to the perforations.

Operation of the spoolcase.

pulls it out as far as. possible until further withdrawal is prevented b the locking pin which is already in the s ot of the leader. Thus a large 100 (Z of leader-stri isformed case. The spoolcase is next dropped into its working position in the projector, the free loop 12 is slipped over the fed mechanism and suitably ad usted thereon, and the apparatus is then ready for work because the mere act of placing the spoolcase in position causes the 100 mg pin f to be withdrawn from the leader-slot, thus leaving the film and its leader quite free to travel. The arrangement is intended to prevent the operator withdrawing or damaging the film portion of the strip. He cannot -fi er itbecause it is only free to travel when tie spoolcase and pro ector or camera'are interlocked, at which stage the film is protected and covered.

As soon as the mechanism is set in motion first the leader-strip and then its following film is withdrawnfrom the supply-spool through one slot of the spoolcase, and after passing the lens and exhibiting point it reenters the spoolcase by the other slot and is taken up or re-wouud on to the receiving reel. When all the film has been withdrawn it is followed by the other leader-strip.

At this point, if it is notdesired to rewind the film (as would be the case with a single film used only once for photographing in a camera), the spoolcase ma be at once removed from the apparatus y detaching the loop, which can then be wound up into the spoolcase. a

But as the main object is to provide a reversible film which can be rewound on to the original spool whilst running in use (as would be the case when the spoolcase is used in a projector for exhibiting pictures) the motion of the mechanism 'is reversed at this point, whereupon the film at once commences to rewind on to the supply-spool.

It will be understood that at this stage the method will be varied according to the type of film with which the apparatus is being used. vFor example,.if the film is a singlewidth strip with its pictures alternately placed as described in specification N 0. 31,311 of 1925 it is merely necessary to reverse the direction of the films travel. But if the film is of double-width with two rows ofpicture's, it is also necessary to laterally displace the spoolcase in order to bring the secondrow of pictures opposite the lens, as well as reversing the direction of the films movement.

' This lateral displacement istprovided for by the projector mechanism and forms no part of the present invention. Alternatively, the same effect can be produced by removing and replacing the spoolcase in an inverted position, thus bringing the second row of pictures opposite the lens. When used in a camera for photographing this method allows two sets of ictures to be made u on a double-width film y merely reversing t e spoolcase.

Driving the :In such apparatus the leader-loop is placed in engagement with the continuous sprocket and then passed over the platen of the usual spring gate, where it-is engaged by the intermittent pin or claw.

Another type of projector described in some of my patents dispenses with the continuous sprocket and claw, and uses instead an intermittent sprocket drum of large diameter which not only serves to draw the film forward and feed it back into the case, but

in addition serves as an exposure platen "which dispenses with a spring-gate entirely.

In this case the loop is merely placed over andaroundthe drum.

In another form of apparatus the large intermittent drum and small continuous sprocket are both used in -combination,' and ets.

All these film-shifting and feeding devices form parts of the projector or camera, and form no part of the present invention but are described in order to make its operation clear.

Driving the spool and reel.

In some forms of projector or camera the reel is driven during re-windby a slipping wire-belt and: pulley of the usual type, which forms part of the apparatus and not of the spoolcase. In some cases friction driving discs orwheels are used instead.

In the present. invent-ion such re-wind apparatus may be included in the spoolcase itself, either as a slipping belt, friction disc, or otherwise.

One convenient arrangement see Fig. 7 comprises a rubber wheel G so mounted by the springs g that it can float and lightly press upon the film contained upon both spool B and reel C, so that it accommodates to the varying diameter of either, and the film is wound upon the reel through the frictional drive by rotation of the spool. This gives the same surface speed to the outer layer of both Another form of friction drive is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this case a friction disc H is mounted on a pivoted arm it so that it can be moved into engagement with one or other of the wheels B or C attached to or for1ning part of the spool B or reel C. 7

Light tight devices.

The spoolcase A may also be provided with an external shutter K as shown in Fig. 10 to cover the slots a, a when the case is not in use.

Zllbdz'fications and additions.

The leader-strips may be provided with perforated Wording indicating to the operator the necessity for reversing the movement, or for indicating the approaching end of its travel, or other instructions. The leader-strips may if desired, be made of semitransparent material to admit a small amount of light to the screen or they may be opaque in order to shut off the light entirely.

A spoolcase such as described forms a complete piece of film mechanism in which the film is completely protected from being tampered with or damaged except the loop portion; which is so strong that little or no damage is possible. It forms a complete reservoir for the whole of the filn1-both before and after exposure or exhibition. And because both spool and reel are contained in the one spoolcase there is no connecting or threading operation every time the apparatus is reloaded with a new film.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: V

1. A cinematograph film spool case and a film-strip having its film-feed effected and controlled partly inside the spoolcase itself and partly by the camera or projector mechanism outside the spoolcase, the spoolcase and filmstrip comprising in its construction a suitable enclosing case, having openings in one wall thereof, through which the film and its lcader strip can pass out of the case and again into the case forming a loop outside the case between the point of egress and ingress and inside the case two spools to form a supplyspool and a receivin -reel respectively, two feed-controlling lea er-strips permanently attached, one to each spool, a film secured by its two ends to the two leader-stri 5 attached to the two spools; the mechanism eing rotatable in both directions a first group of pietures being exposed during the forward movement of the film and a second group during the return movement of the film; the spoolcase being adapted to engage with the exposure driving-mechanism, whereby the spoolcase mechanism is driven by the exposure mechanism in both directions without the operator having to change the spools,

2. GinematographI film spoolcase as in claim 1 provided with an auxiliary feed sprocket placed between the supply-spool and the winding reel so that the strain of the spools and film will be taken by the sprocket and the only weight of the film between the sprocket and film feed will be taken by the feed apparatus. v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN EDWARD THORNTON. 

